Dehradun, March 19 Speculation about the expansion of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami's cabinet is once again gaining momentum in Uttarakhand, with sources saying that it is believed that this exercise can be carried out during this Navratri itself.
Sources close to Dhami said that with less than a year left for the Assembly elections to be held early next year, there is a strong possibility that all five vacant posts in the cabinet will be filled soon.
When the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in the state for the second consecutive term in 2022, a total of nine ministers, including Chief Minister Dhami, were sworn in. Under the constitutional provision, Uttarakhand can have a maximum of 12 members in the state cabinet.
The cabinet was reduced to eight members after the death of Social Welfare and Transport Minister Chandan Ramdas in April 2023, while the number dropped to seven last year after the resignation of Prem Chand Agarwal, who was in charge of Parliamentary Affairs and Finance, following a controversy.
During the last four years of the state government's tenure, there were discussions about cabinet expansion at least half a dozen times but this exercise never reached its conclusion.
When asked about this, Manveer Singh Chauhan, media in-charge of Uttarakhand unit of BJP, said that discussions and deliberations have been held with the central leadership on the issue of cabinet expansion and it is expected that all the five vacant posts will be filled soon.
He said, "The Dhami government is committed to development, public service, and good governance. Cabinet expansion is a government process and a matter for the central leadership. Discussions and consultations have taken place with the central leadership. A cabinet expansion can be expected soon."